ProMusica Chamber Orchestra’s “Mozart and the Masters” program drew fervent applause tonight at
the Southern Theatre. The program, featuring pianist Alessio Bax and violinist and leader Vadim
Gluzman, was bookended by two very traditionally styled Mozart concerti and filled out with pieces
that provided interesting contrast.

Mozart’s
Violin Concerto No. 3, with Gluzman as soloist, opened the program. Rather than
over-interpret the young Mozart’s style, Gluzman led the orchestra in an interpretation that was
delicate yet forthright, and preserved the formality of much of Mozart’s early work.

Gluzman’s technical skill extends to a wealth of sonorous colors, different for every piece and
never straying outside an appropriate range for the time period and character.

Bohuslav Martinu’s
La Revue de Cuisine (The Kitchen Revue) then provided a comic twist. Originally conceived
as a ballet, and scored for piano, violin, cello, clarinet, bassoon and trumpet, the piece tells
the story of the loves and temptations among pieces of kitchen equipment. The timbre of these six
instruments playing together was merrily raucous, and the conflagration of sound was a deft foil to
Mozart’s formal approach.

Mozart’s
Piano Concerto No. 24 brought the musicians back to a dignified, precise style, with the
added maturity of the composer at age 30. Bax allowed the score to do the speaking, preserving the
formality and precision of Mozart while adding richness and a remarkable confidence.

ProMusica’s biggest challenge remains a sense of coherence in the first 10 minutes of the
concert. In the opening movement of the violin concerto tonight, the orchestral violinists often
slid through rapid passages with only passable coherence.